This invention, generally, relates to a device that is releasably securable to variously sized metal cans to increase the palatability of drinking therefrom. More particularly, it relates to a device that provides a bottle-like spout for a beverage can.
Many beverages such as soft drinks and beer are sold in small aluminum cans. The most common can has an imperforate metallic lid or cover and has means for punching a pour opening therein so that the beverage contained within the can may be consumed.
There are a well known drawbacks associated with most all common beverage cans. The cans often sit for long periods of time in warehouses waiting for distribution to stores, for example, and warehouses are known not to be clean as far dust or other contaminants are concerned. As a result, most consumers quickly wipe off the lids of such cans before opening them and drinking therefrom in a very casual manner, at best, in a casual effort to remove germs or other contaminations.
Obviously, such casual wiping cleans off only the more visible dirt and has no effect on microscopic viruses or bacteria that may be alive and multiplying on the can top.
Quite a few inventors have tackled the problem, and numerous solutions to the problem have therefore appeared.
Of particular interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,071,042 to Esposito and other patents cited therein. The above cited patent discloses two embodiments and how the bottle-like adapter is releasably attached to the rim of a beverage can. The first embodiment has a flexible base which has radially and inwardly extending lugs which circumferentially and at spaced locations will grip under the rim of the can to hold it in place. This embodiment further includes a concave plate having a central, oval-shaped opening and is fixedly secured about its periphery to inner side walls of the adapter.
This particular embodiment is rather complicated to produce which considerably adds to the cost of producing the same.
In a second embodiment, the adapter is secured to the rim of the can by way of a concentric groove in the flexible base of the adapter which will sandwich the rim between annular retaining rings. The retainer rings may be of a longitudinal extent so as to seal the same against the top cover of the can itself.
The above identified patent is assigned to and thereby owned by Primo Products, Inc. of 6062 Taylor Rd. in Naples, Fla. 34109. The inventor of the invention of the application at hand works under the auspices of the above identified Co. and will assign the present invention to the same Co.
One disadvantage of both embodiments of the bottle-shaped adapter is that the adapters will fit only one size can. It is well known that soft drink cans have a smaller diameter top of and therefore a smaller diameter size rim when compared to beer cans which in all major brand deliveries have a larger diameter top and therefore a larger rim. Therefore, the adapters of the above mentioned patent cannot be used interchangably on both differently sized cans.